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Hennepin County committee approves 12 administrator amendments to 2026 budget, moves operating budget to Dec. 2
Summary
The Hennepin County administration and budget committee voted Nov. 10 to approve 12 administrator amendments to the proposed 2026 budget — including changes to opioid settlement spending, Hennepin Health rates and capital projects — and laid the amended operating budget over to Dec. 2 for further review and public comment.
Hennepin County’s administration and budget committee on Nov. 10 approved 12 administrator amendments to the proposed 2026 operating and capital budgets and advanced the amended operating budget to a Dec. 2 committee meeting to allow additional public comment.
Chair Cotel opened the hearing by noting the county’s proposed 2026 budget totals $3,090,000,000 and reflects a maximum property tax levy increase of 7.79% the board adopted Sept. 25. County Administrator Jody Wetland and Chief Financial Officer Joe Matthews presented a package of 12 technical and programmatic amendments that staff said refine allocations and account for updated grant awards, rate adjustments and capital project developments.
Among the amendments approved were: forward authorization to use opioid settlement funds and a reconciliation of prior allocations; recognition of about $57 million in additional Hennepin Health revenue and related expenses tied to finalized 2026 rate information; a restored state workforce development allocation; a $1.6 million multi-year grant to Northpointe Wellness (about $322,000 in 2026); adjustments to climate and resiliency and solid-waste enterprise funding; and a five-item capital package that includes $600,000 added for Cedar Avenue reconstruction, a new $6,000,000 capital grant for suicide-prevention work on the Washington Avenue Bridge, a Franklin Library planning study, $1,000,000 for traffic-signal cost participation and several district court project reprioritizations.
For several items, commissioners requested follow-up details. Commissioner Connolly pressed staff for more information on how opioid settlement categories — including prevention, connections to care and medical-examiner costs — are balanced; staff said the settlement MOA and county allocations govern eligible uses and that about $4.7 million in opioid funds is budgeted for 2026. Commissioners also asked Hennepin Health for modeling on membership growth and reserves after the health plan projected 10–15% growth and an estimated $9.6 million increase to fund balance in 2026.
Staff said the $6 million identified for Washington Avenue Bridge work stems from the omnibus transportation bill and that future agreements with the University of Minnesota and MnDOT will spell out construction oversight and maintenance responsibilities; the county will retain ultimate ownership. Staff also said at least one capital project (Marshall Street NE) will be pushed back at least one year to accommodate the reallocation of regional transportation sales tax funding.
Votes on the amendments were taken by voice; the committee recorded ayes and carried each motion. The committee then moved the operating budget, as amended, to the Dec. 2 administration, operations and budget committee meeting for additional public comment and Truth in Taxation proceedings.
Members of the public may leave recorded comments related to specific budget hearings at (612) 688-3545 (two-minute limit) or submit written comments to their commissioners; the county’s proposed budget materials are available at www.hennepin.us/budgets.
